The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Yachting takes sail at West Hill Pond
Ever since mankind first pushed a boat onto water, sailing has been an integral part of the human experience.
Ever since mankind first pushed a boat onto water, sailing has been an integral part of the human experience. From dugout canoes and single masts made by primitive people to move from one island to the next, to many-masted galleons and clipper ships that fueled the age of discovery and commerce to the end of the 19th century, sailing has been crucial to society’s progress.
Today, sailing remains a genteel pastime, catching the wind in canvas and moving about on the water without the use of modern inventions. Whether it is a mighty yacht blasting through the ocean waves or a small sailboat plying the waters of a calm lake, sailing is a beloved hobby that fascinates and delights millions and continues to capture our romantic imaginations.
One of the finest bodies of water to sail in Litchfield County is the pristine waters of West Hill Pond in New Hartford. The West Hill Beach Club is active in the effort to preserve the beauty of the pond and its value as an important recreational venue for both residents of the area and visitors.
“The commitment of the volunteers to maintain the beauty of the Club, and the dedication of the volunteer board of directors and their committees are what make West Hill Beach Club a success,” says Beverly Jackowitz, President of the Club. “We are a casual, friendly, welcoming group of people, passionate about the ambiance and peacefulness derived from what has been described as `a little piece of heaven.’ There are picnic tables and grills. We stage entertainment, pot luck dinners, and other scheduled events throughout the season.”
Jackowitz said West Hill Pond has been described as one of the cleanest, clearest, well-managed lakes in the state. There are no motor boats allowed between Memorial Day and Labor Day with motors over 7.5 horsepower. “There are many member-owned sailboats, kayaks, sailboards and paddleboards, and Club-owned `funyaks,’ kayaks, canoes, and rowboats for the use of our members and their guests.”
The Club also boasts a basketball/volleyball court, a ping pong room, and an ice cream/snack bar. Lifeguards and a manager are on duty as well. For a fee members can dock their boats, then store them after the Club closes.
Said Jackowitz, “Our membership has grown each year since becoming a member-owned club in 2006. There have been many cosmetic changes, including painting our ping pong building, putting a new roof on the main building, putting in new docks and rafts, adding new plantings that enhance the property, with the exception of the roof, all handled by Club volunteers.
Members of the West Hill Beach Club range from young families with and without children, to recently joined members and those who have been enjoying the Club for almost 50 years.
The Club is a member of the West Hill Pond Association. Explained Jackowitz, “The Pond Association is an active group of dedicated people whose focus is maintaining the quality of the water and protect it from runoff and contamination with nutrients and pathogens via groundwater transmission.”
Sailing is pretty simple in concept, but in practice, not so much. We all know that sailing uses the wind, which acts on sails of various sizes and numbers to move a boat on the surface of the water. Conventional sailing craft cannot derive power from sails on a “point of sail” that is too close into the wind. On a given point of sail the sailor adjusts the alignment of each sail with respect to the apparent direction to capture the wind’s power. The force transmitted via the sails is resisted by forces from the hull, keel and rudder. Recreational sailing, or yachting, can be divided into racing and cruising. The latter can include extended offshore and ocean-crossing trips, coastal sailing within sight of land, and day sailing, such as on a lake or pond.
One of the most visible members of the West Hill Beach Club is Diane Tucker, who can often be seen sailing her colorful boats across the pond.
“We really are an oldfashioned club with simple values,” said Tucker, who began sailing as a young girl at the old West Hill Aquatic Camp, stepped away for awhile, and then returned to the activity when her husband bought her an old Sunfish for $150. Having re-caught the bug, she later purchased a small boat known as a Cape Dory 10, a tiny sailing dinghy a step more comfortable than the Sunfish.
One of her favorite boats is her bright red West Wight Potter, made on the Isle of Wight, one of the smallest of all sleepaboard dinghies. She enjoys painting her boats in very bright colors, such as the sea foam green of her Michalak Lady Bug, and is on the pond quite regularly as early and as late in the season as possible. The Potter has two berths for sleeping or lounging and she often sails the pond, pausing in the evening to “to look at the stars.”
“The boats that I sail cost very little (a used Sunfish can cost just a couple of hundred dollars, which allows novices to take up sailing with ease). To be out on the water, enjoying the sun and breeze is a pure joy. A lot of the sailors on the pond know one another and it is like a little community. We have an affordable marina at the West Hill Beach Club. It’s important to take care of your boat especially the wooden ones, cleaning and painting regularly. But it must be done away from the lake to protect the environment.” Moving along the water with only the aid of the wind, sails and a rudder takes a certain amount of skill. Even on a body of water as small as West Hill Pond, one must be constantly aware of the shifting winds and approaching storms. “It’s about a three-mile sail around the lake and on a windy day I’ve been caught in places that I didn’t want to go. I can make about five knots with a good wind. I try to sail from ice break up to the bitter end of the season. My boat is big enough to fit sodas and food in a cooler and enjoy the entire day into the night. It’s like living in a little dollhouse on the water.”
The naturalist for the Farmington Land Trust spoke to the joys of sailing and being out alone on the water. “It’s quiet out there and I often read or just reflect on things and live in the moment. It’s a wonderful form of passive meditation.”
Tucker’s daughter, Julia , has also caught the sailing bug and has her own boat called the Nancy Blackett. “It’s such a great activity for young people. It builds self-confidence and teaches them about the importance of safety, which always comes first. And there is math and physics involved. A life jacket is a must for any sailor and having them on board is the law.”
Tucker’s husband, John, also enjoys the pond, but usually it is on a paddle board or kayak. They sometimes meet up for a chat near “Teddy Bear Rock,” a shallow area of rocks near the southern end of the lake.
For more information about the West Hill Beach Club and its activities visit www.westhillbeachclub. com.